Quite a lot of Nigerian men fall into this category of not been able to prepare meals. Well, we could take it back to their upbringing but then again it just may not be that after all. Just maybe some of these men do not have the passion for making meals but then again in a man’s life, there is always a time it actually gets to when they have to storm the kitchen.
Here are the very top 10 tips to actually getting around the kitchen;
- Always remember; if you know how to read, then you can prepare a dish:
Quite easy to say, right? But this is actually true though. Having a recipe or a cookbook at your side actually helps as an instruction manual to making a great meal even though it is advisable to always start small. Take out time to study through the cooking manual, set out to buy the necessary ingredients and then practice with a little set first till you are sure able to make a full meal for everyone. See, I told you it is quite easy after all. - Start off clean!:
This is a major step in helping give you a clear head in the kitchen. Now, all you have to do is, first of all, clear the sink if there are any dishes in them, afterward, clean out the kitchen table so to enable you to have enough space as that is yet another necessity for a man who does not know how to cook. Wash up all of the kitchen tools you would be needing and arrange them neatly as you would not want to be delayed while having to wash a pan while the recipe is in process. - Understand the standings:
It is very important you have in mind first hand to understand the cooking jargon before deciding on kicking off. Take for instance- the recipe might have you need to grease the frying pan or whisk the white eggs, you are meant to virtually have an idea of what that means so as not to go astray hence paying attention and understanding the cooking lingo is very compulsory. Usually, in cooking manuals, cooking vocabulary is written in simple terms but in a case where you have doubts, try looking at the picture illustrations or better still, make google your friend. - Carry out the ‘MISE EN’ – Set Up:
One may wonder what “Mise En” means, but the French word actually simply means in English “Setting Up”. Having a very clean surrounding is a major key but still, yet, it is also essential that you make out time to weigh out and prep all of your ingredients just before you plan on putting on the gas or placing anything in the pan. Most times, it is advisable to actually have all of your ingredients already in bowls so all you just need do is but turn it into the cooking pot or pan when their turn comes up and also, helps you keep tabs of what you have or what you have not yet added. See Also 5 TACTICS NIGERIAN WOMEN USE IN TRAPPING MEN IN MARRIAGE-DONT BE PLAYED - Make use of quality cooking ingredients:
One major step to actually slaying the meal is making sure to have fresh spices and ingredients all ready. Just maybe you do not know what makes the food taste nice, fresh ingredients would actually give you the upper hand of having a delicacy when eventually you are through with the meal. Try asking a friend or two to help out with selecting fresh and quality ingredients as buying those is an entire ball game. - Make use of superior kitchen tools:
Just before you kick-start your cooking escapade, try to binge in one good saucepan. It is always advisable to make use of carbon steel pans and pots while cooking and the perfect choice for a new chef in the making. This is so because it helps circulate the heat properly and evenly around the steel and afterward, allows for easy wash-up. - One step at a time:
Do not be flabbergasted by the manual and all you need do is but gently follow the steps one after the other with a deep breath, and you would do just fine. Take out time in your leisure to break the manual into simple sentences for easy comprehending and only then would you finally establish the fact that it was not so difficult after all like you may have initially thought. - Be time conscious:
Most times, professionals rely on their memory to keep pace with time as to when the next ingredient should be added, but as an amateur, try as much as possible to have a timer by your side to help you know when next to add the next set of ingredients and keep up with your task. Have it at the back of your mind that you have to do a meal check every 5 minutes right before the established cook time. Always remember this phrase, ‘It is very easy to allow a meal boil up much longer but almost difficult to save a meal that is already overcooked’. - Do not be in haste, stay patient: Patience is a sure virtue and it also applies to preparing a meal. The blend of ingredients and sauces need time to cook up well as well as get thick. In a case whereby you happen to be baking, the dough needs enough time to form and solidify, so you see, a lot of patience is really needed when it comes to kitchen duties. Never ever rush a sauce or meal preparation.
- Imperfection is still precision: Mistakes happen all the time even with professional cooks so do not be dismayed when your meal does not come out right. In most cases, these cooking mistakes are still edible and also helps direct your path against next time. Like the saying goes, ‘you get to learn from your mistakes’. Cook more and be sure of improvement for the better you are bound to become. Rome was not built in a day.